our reflection is not something we can stand to look at
by starlight.moon.princess
Summary: "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends." —Albus Dumbledore / Helga Hufflepuff refuses to pick and choose her students.


**For Camp Potter (History - write about something in the Founders Era); Fanfiction, School of Imagination and Creativity (History - the Founder of Hogwarts, write a character study of one of the Founders); the If You Dare Challenge (516. Choice); the Hogwarts Classes Category Competition (History of Magic); the Legendary Gods and Goddesses Competition (Demeter); and the Popular Song Competition (Wings)**

**A/N: The title is taken from the Andrea Gibson poem The Madness Vase, which also inspired this fic.**

**I've always thought that Helga was the strongest of the Founders for taking in everyone who needed a home, no discrimination or favouritism, and this is my exploration into why that was her choice.**

**The use of the word Mudblood and the idea of nine years of Hogwarts is because of the differences between the present British wizarding world and the medieval one. In that time, I imagine that Mudblood would not yet be an insult, and the constraints of lack of modern medicine, teaching methods, etc would require a longer time at Hogwarts.**

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"We cannot look after everyone as a collective anymore," Rowena's urgent voice spoke to the other three people present at the little meeting in Salazar's office. "We must find a way to divide the responsibility of looking after the students – the way we're going right now, there are too many students falling through the cracks. Look at what happened last week. We didn't even know that Augustus Delacroix was courting Theodora Weyr until her parents turned up at Hogwarts wanting to know why they hadn't been informed of this development!"

"I agree with you Rowena, however, how are we supposed to decide which children we want to take responsibility for?" Godric asked heatedly. "It wouldn't be fair if one of us got the most promising or the most well behaved of the lot and left the rest for the other three!"

"I was thinking that perhaps we should decide on a quality we value the most, and take in students who show that quality," Rowena replied, taking a seat on the round table that Salazar had installed in the middle of the room. "I would take the most intelligent ones, of course."

"Of course," Sal murmured sarcastically. "Why would we even think you'd choose another quality? But apart from that, I think your plan has merit. I would choose the most cunning and ambitious student every time – young Merlin has really shown me the advantages of those qualities. Godric? Helga? What think you?"

Helga turned away from her friends to look down at the grounds of the school she had helped found. More than anything, this discussion reminded her of when she had decided to welcome abused and ill-treated house-elves to look upon Hogwarts as their home. Their wide eyed looks of disbelief and hope when she promised them a safe, constant home no matter what they were able to contribute had broken her heart.

She had often seen the same look of hope on the children who first came to Hogwarts. There were too many of who them suffered from the most terrible home lives, especially the ones born to Mudblood families who viewed their magic as the devil's curse. To pick and choose which children to look after – after knowing what she did about these children, it somehow felt like a betrayal of the trust that they had placed in her.

Unlike Rowena, Helga was still childless and therefore felt compelled to mother all the children that came to study under her. As she would teach them Charms, she would also give them the little pieces of knowledge that she had gained over the years. She had lost count of how many girls she had given her recipes to as they left the school to face real life – she hoped it would be a little bit of comfort to them as they left the home they had known for nearly nine years.

She would not pick and choose. All the children that entered Hogwarts were special to her, and they did not deserve to be rejected just because they didn't fit some pre-existing standard that her companions decided for them.

Let them choose who they wanted to look after. She would teach each and every one of them, regardless of ability, quality or blood.

"Helga?" Rowena's voice pushed her out of her thoughts.

"Hm?" she asked, turning back to face her friends.

"Godric wishes to take responsibility for the boldest and most courageous of those who come to our school. It is now your decision as to which children you wish to take."

"I'll take them all," she declared decisively.

"Helga?" Salazar asked, sounding shocked. "What do you mean by you'll take them all?"

"The three of you can pick and choose which students you think are most worthy to teach," Helga said proudly, "But I will have no part in it. Choose who you wish to. I will take responsibility of every student left."

"Helga, are you sure?" Godric asked doubtfully.

"I am. I will take the children and teach them all I know. Hufflepuff will by synonymous with loyalty and steadfastness by the time we are forced to hand over the administration of this school to our heirs, this I promise you."

"Very well then," Rowena said, sounding as doubtful about Helga's decision as Godric had. "If this is to be your final decision Helga, then we are decided. From next term, we will sort the students personally. They deserve much more personal attention than they are getting at the moment, and I would like to rectify that as soon as possible."

It would take centuries and countless wars before Helga's wisdom would be fully recognised, but once it was, it was never doubted that no matter how well known Rowena Ravenclaw had been for her intelligence, it had been Helga Hufflpuff who had been the wisest of them all.

For it was her house who would teach wizards of the value of equality. And it would take time, but it would be her teachings that would finally bring peace to the wizarding world.

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**This is my first time writing about the Founders, and I'd really like to know what you guys thought! I really hope you enjoyed it, and please remeber to leave a review on your way out :) **


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